The Prince The Raven and The Owl
by Prometheus-s
Summary: AU. after ootp. During his 6th year Harry is hurt by Hermione and betrayed by everyone else. He goes independent. The story is a bit dark, and a bit horrific at times. Probably not so much romance, though you can expect to see a relationship bet Tonks
1. Chapter 1

It had been a month since the incident, and Narcissa Malfoy had wandered the desolate halls in near catatonia. Her shoulders slumped with weariness and her once shining blond hair, the envy of all women, was dull and matted. Vitalizing rays of the sun had not touched her pale skin in weeks.

Lavishly decorated corridors of the Malfoy mansion had once inspired her with confidence and pride. Walls were immaculately crafted, displaying scenes of ancient battles and in each one of them the wizards emerged victorious over all lower forms of magical life. The Malfoy ancestors had been lords and dukes in their time and the manor was a testament to the wealth and status that had been passed through generations. Pureblood wizards were chosen by nature to rise above all others. They were born masters and commanded respect.

This had been her creed, the mantra she had recited, and the constant hum that was the background of her life.

She trudged her way through the fourth floor corridor, as desolate as it seemed, it grew darker with each labored step. Her thin satin gown hung loosely on bony shoulders and dragged on the floor behind her.

Metallic suits of armor lined the hallway, standing tall on the dark polished stone. Each one of them imposing and a reminder of the great warlocks of the ancient times. And each one seemed to look down upon her frail body, as if judging her and finding her lacking.

"Mistress…" called a squeaky voice from behind her.

Narcissa's step faltered slightly and she leaned onto the wall for support, as the rough stone scratched her soft skin.

"What?" she asked in an weary voice.

Her body was numb, the only awareness she had was the pulsing of a dark chasm which had once been her heart; her true self caged behind the bars of despair.

The house-elf was visibly shaken by her appearance and as all bound magical creatures, she could sense her mistress's pain. "Mi-Miss- Mistress, Mas – Master…" the small creature stumbled over the words, "… is coming in morning…does mistress have any special orders." The creature asked with wide eyes.

_Husband_. _The binding oaths of her marriage had been shattered like glass and herself cast aside as a whore. Used time and time again until the mind accepted the abuse and all thoughts of dignity were forsaken. What a charade her life was. The worth of her blood and her station in life had never been clearer._

Without any friends or family to call her soul back from exile, she feared dementia would be her fate. The mind would succumb to despair without the pillars of hope to give it strength. Hope was the life breath for a soul; it had been snatched from her, leaving her like a leaf tumbling in the wind.

"I've no special instruction. Do not disturb me again for the night … regardless of the matter" said Narcissa in a whisper that barely reached the elf's ears. Even anger required energy and she had none to spare.

The door to the study opened with a wave of her hand and the torch was immediately ignited, casting an orange hue over the room. A mahogany desk held carefully organized rolls of parchment and writing instruments of all sorts with an intricately chiseled chair of black wood under the desk. Bookshelves covered the walls, storing some of the most advanced books on magic available anywhere, giving the study an aura of secrecy.

She made her way to the far fall and murmured an incantation causing the bookshelf to shift slightly, revealing a safe.

A pure white dagger crafted from the fang of a basilisk sat on a velvet cushion. The ivory like blade merged flawlessly into a hilt of pure gold. Its beauty had misled many men to underestimate its foul role in the darkest of blood rituals. Almost half a century ago Lord Grindewald had crafted the dagger to suit his purposes and the Malfoy family had naturally received it as an inheritance. Few people outside the family knew that Lord Grindewald was born Rubian Malfoy.

How she had come to hate her adopted name. The familiar feeling of betrayal rose within her. But she was so close now to her goal that in morphed into anger and licked at her mind giving her strength and purpose. Anger, when funneled and focused through the intellect of Narcissa Malfoy would become a storm of vengeance. Gnashing, tearing and ripping the very magical energy that held together the pure blood families. What she could not do with her life, her death would accomplish.

It was important she have enough space to do the magic and moved to the middle of the study and began to scribe runes into the floor. The stone floor glowed as ancient symbols created in a blood red light charged the air with magic. Her wand moved with practiced ease, casting some of the most complicated runes in ritual magic.

It was fittingly ironic, that in the last few moments of her life, a life dedicated to the prestige of her family, only the cold and lifeless walls of the manor remained as witnesses.

_Is the risk worth it_? _It was the same question he had asked himself for the last month. There were no guarantees that she would be willing to help him. But could he afford to pass up the chance? Foremost, it was also a matter of principle. Knowing all that she had suffered, could he not help her and still live with himself? Hopefully she would help him in return and if not, he would leave her at Hogwarts. _

Making up his mind, Harry Potter deftly moved to the closet beside his bed and retrieved all that he would need for the trip.

The room once stored decrepit wooden crates and old furniture but now it was a chamber with a large bed at one end, a stand up bath across from the bed and a small kitchen along the farthest wall. A round glass table was in the middle of a small common space along with two dark plush sofas. Dark oak bookshelves stood along the walls. Although the basement of number four privet drive was cold and damp, it fit him quite well, he hadn't known warmth for months.

"Dobby.." called Harry. The loyal house elf appeared instantaneously, wearing a small apron and awaited instructions.

"Were you able to fix the cloak.?" he asked.

With a snap of his fingers Dobby brought forth a dark green cloak, almost black, which was fitted like a muggle trench coat rather then a traditional wizards cloak.

"I is making place for Harry Potter's sword!" exclaimed Dobby.

Harry saw a slit between the shoulder blades of the cloak and was impressed that Dobby had been able to create a scabbard within the thick Basilisk hide.

"Thanks Dobby" said Harry with a slight smile.

He strapped a sheath to his left forearm, which held a dagger. His right forearm held was reserved for his wand holster. Harry attached another holster was attached to his thigh encasing a willow wand that had once belonged to his mother and a mahogany wand which belonged to his father. He always carried them now, the wands tying him to his parents and anchoring his mind.

If it hadn't been for the chest that Petunia had given him during the summer after fifth year, he didn't know if he would have survived.

Strange was his life that the only companions he had now were an owl and a house elf. It was during these lonely moments that the pain crept into his mind and every time it felt as though someone had plunged a dagger into his heart. An icy grip would take a hold of his body leaving him breathless and weak.

It had been 2 years since he had last seen Ron and Hermione. Ron's deception had hurt but when he discovered Hermione's betrayal… it had shattered him completely. Nothing held him back from leaving Hogwarts, the very people who had made it home had betrayed him. Walls of the ancient castle had begun to feel colder, the once inviting and homely atmosphere was gone and the very magic so deeply embedded in the ancient stone stifled him.

The very night he had approached the headmaster with his demands. Sitting in his seat of power and seeming to be the embodiment of wisdom, the old mage had tried to discourage Harry from his course of action. But Harry had given an ultimatum that the headmaster could not refuse. '_Either do what I'm asking or I'll leave the wizarding world...I do this my way or I don't do it at all..'_

He was gone before the light of dawn had broken the next day. No owls could reach him here and he certainly had no one to send messages to.

It was easy to push away feelings and thoughts for the first few months because he was occupied with gathering supplies, and learning battle magic along with constant practice with the Gryffindor sword. However, after the intial wave of anger had passed, loneliness began to resurface like blood seeping through an old wound.

Many a night had been spent clutching his mother's diary and drawing strength from her words. Hagrid's photo album had been a revitalizing breath on many days pulling him from the sand pit of depression. But he was still lonely. Survival and revenge weren't enough and he constantly longed for companionship. Whenever he closed his eyes, he could still feel Hermione running her fingers through his hair and her kisses falling on his neck like drops of gentle rain. But his pride did not let him indulge in the fantasies and over time he had become colder. All he had left was his pride and principles and he knew the day he lost either, he would lose himself.

Betrayal of an enemy could be forgiven but the betrayal of friends, _her_ betrayal, was like being deceived by his own soul.

Harry shook himself, he needed to focus and the avenger had no patience with such emotions.

The coat slid on like a glove over his lithe torso and with a thought, the Gryffindor Sword adjusted itself into the scabbard in his cloak. Raven hair feel to his shoulders and were tied back with a piece of leather. He stood six feet tall, and had developed sinewy muscles because of the extreme fitness regimen that Mad-eye Moody had developed for him. The result was a physique of a martial artist, honed for endurance and speed.

He checked the small throwing knives that were attached to the dragon hide vest and with a flick of his right wrist the powerful phoenix feather wand was gripped tightly in his calloused hand.

With a mental command, Hedwig came to rest on his shoulder and Dobby knowing his part grabbed Harry's hand. Harry disillusioned himself and with a spoken keyword the portkey was activated and the basement of number four privet drive was left empty and dark.

Harry's lithe body landed firmly in a cluster of bushes. The sun was just setting and the soft evening light rolled across the unnaturally quiet fields. Unable to stand the fierce winter wind of the highlands, the animals hardly left their shelters.

The snow crunched beneath his feet as he shifted his weight to look around. There was a dense forest to the south along the perimeter of the ground and to the North stood the Malfoy manor.

It rivaled Hogwarts in its glory. The size of the manor was not comparable to Hogwarts castle but the dark stone walls looked majestic. There were four turrets that guarded the manor surrounded by large gardens and ponds. A fence framed the perimeter of the estate and Harry had no doubt that any unannounced visitors would be subjected to intense pain trying to cross the barrier. Gargoyles stood along side the walkway that led to the main doors.

"Harry Potter sir, Dobby will show you how to get in." and with that the elf began to run parallel to the fence, not making a sound and seemed to hover over the snow as he moved.

Dobby had claimed to know a way into the manor which would not upset any of the wards and over the past months, Harry had come to rely on Dobby's unusual insight into magic.

"Just tell me where to go Dobby" said Harry, his charmed boots leaving no trail in the snow. He would remember to commend Dobby on fitting the basilisk coat so perfectly, it moved with him like a second skin and he could hardly feel the weight of the sword on his back as he leaped across a patch of ice. Hedwig followed closely as they made their way through the field, keeping a safe distance from the manor to not set off any wards.

Dobby stopped just beside a patch of rocks just as Harry crouched beside him and Hedwig once again resting on his shoulder.

The fence was black and made from a strange metal that radiated darkness. The torches in the turrets were ignited giving them the look of enormous lanterns. Torches burned bright around the walls of the manor, dispelling the dark shadows cast by the setting sun.

"This transport us to storeroom Harry Potter" said Dobby pointing to the patch of rocks.

Harry squinted his eyes to protect them from the bitter wind. Dobby had his own brand of magic and the cold never bothered him. The wind was picking up and a light howl could be heard as it rushed through the forest.

"Alright lets get going" said Harry and Dobby snapped his fingers, teleporting them deep inside the Malfoy manor.


	2. Chapter 2

The Kitchen of Grimmauld Place was filled with chattering order members as they took a few minutes to greet each other before the meeting. The soft aroma of a recently consumed meal hung in the air and the stone fireplace radiated a comforting warmth that added to the familiar and homely atmosphere. According to the headmaster, 'nothing brought a diverse group together like a shared meal and in the times of war, unity was of the utmost importance.'

The ancient and decrepit wooden table that had served the Black house had been replaced by a round oak table that could spaciously seat 50 adults. Over the past months, everything from cream paint to soft velvet carpet had helped in transforming the gloomy mansion into a comfortable place of gathering.

The old mage's eyes roamed the room and as was so often the case, he longed to see the boy greeting his friends and taking a seat across from his own. A seat reserved for the next leader of the light. As of now Amelia Bones occupied the chair and sat drumming her fingers on a carved silhouette of a Phoenix. The phoenixes were engraved around the table for each available seat.

Minerva cleared her throat sensing the straying thoughts of the aging headmaster, even as her own eyes lingered on the door. She was acutely aware of the absence, just as many others were, but by an unspoken consensus, none discussed the missing member during the meetings. Although, she knew that would not be the case today. _Harry_ she thought. _How have you become so brutal? _

"If everyone would take a seat, we have much to discuss" said Dumbledore and the Order members settled themselves around the table. The flaming red hair of the five Weasley's were easily noticeable as they sat scattered around the table. Ron sat beside Charlie wearing his head-boy pin and was whispering to Mundugus Fletcher who was dressed in a tatterdemalion cloak that bulged in odd places. Molly and Arthur rested comfortably in their cushioned chairs, gray hair interspersed with their vibrant red, showing signs of their age. Bill Weasley had his arm slung around the back of his fiance's chair, carelessly playing with her silver trusses. Fleur Delacour had joined the order after apprenticing under Madam Pomfrey for Harry's sixth year.

Dumbledore let his eyes rest on the striking couple for a few moments. _Harry deserves such carefree privilges of youth _he thought. The old mage blamed himself for his failure as a headmaster, but that was not what gnawed at him relentlessly. It was his failure as a mentor which gave him sleepless nights; he had sentenced Harry to a life that he himself had led, and on more then one occasion had detested when he found himself alone in his study with only his books and trinkets to keep him company. It was a life dedicated to fighting evil in all forms, but it was a lonely life. How he would make it up to the boy he did not know, but he would do something.

Straightening himself, he nodded to the aurors who sat grouped together to his right. It would not do for the leader of the light to show that the burdens of war were weighing down his spirit.

Tonks lowered her chair which had been teetering on the back legs, and folded her arms across her chest while her thin and shapely eyebrows furrowed in thought. "Last week, in the forest outside of Beaubaxton, the French Ministry reported finding 3 corpses and 3 stunned death eaters. Two of the dead bodies had knife wounds and the other had been cut open with a blade of some kind. No magic.…" she paused for a moment as the order members began to murmur amongst themselves. Remembering what she had seen when the English ministry had sent Envoy's to investigate, she continued through the noise. "And we found a parchment pinned to one of the trees, it had the words, 'Infants – Voldemort' surrounded with question marks. –AND-" she said, raising her voice to be heard over the noise of the order members. Everyone quieted "We believe it was Harry who was responsible." At the announcement, it seemed as though everyone had stopped breathing, even the light crackle of the embers from the fireplace could be heard.

Snape broke the silence. "How do we know it was Potter?" he asked sharply.

"We know because the stunned death eaters were questioned under Veritaserum and they identified the attacker as Harry Potter. Harry made no apparent effort to hide his identity" said Kingsley, his voice carrying a subtle hint of pride at the boy's actions but otherwise his sharp features showed no outward emotions. The auror captain had personally instructed Harry in dueling during the summer after his fifth year and had been impressed with the progress the younger man had made in only a month.

Dumbledore cleared his throat. "The matter of concern is that fourteen months ago when Mr. Potter disappeared, the ministry delegated a team to search for him and as far as we are aware, the team has made no progress. Myself and a few other order members have also tried to locate Mr. Potter but we have had no luck." he said, and looked over at the potions master. "Severus has gathered intelligence that Voldemort has come to possess an ancient Chinese manuscript, which outlines an advanced scrying technique. I read of the manuscript when I was doing research on Dragons back in the early 1900's. With this new knowledge it will only be a matter of time before Voldemort is able to find Mr. Potter…we _must_ find him first" he said with fervor.

"Oh Albus…" interrupted Mrs. Weasley but before she could continue Dumbledore raised his hand.

"Molly, we will do all we can to find Mr. Potter. I believe that we will succeed if we can convince Ms. Granger to help us." he said looking pointedly at McGonagall, who shook her head in response. "She won't help Albus. She feels used by the Order and over the past months she has kept her distance from all of her friends…including Mr. Weasley."

Ron agreed. He had hoped that after Harry had left, Hermione would grow closer to him. He had imagined that they would join the Order and rise as the new leaders of the light. A pureblood such as himself and a gifted Muggleborn would be beacons in the fight against Voldemort. But Hermione simply didn't want any sort of relationship with anyone and she had even refused the Headmaster's offer to join the Order.

"What possible help could Ms. Granger offer?" Snape interrupted snidely, raising his eyebrows at the deputy head-mistress.

"Do not underestimate Ms. Granger Severus." Dumbledore chided. "If you will recall her owl scores…they were the second highest recorded this century and had she written her exams without the worries of an upcoming war, she would have surpassed even Tom Riddle's scores. I have kept a log of her study materials and she is well beyond her NEWTs in most of her courses. Especially in Arithmancy and Transfiguration. I am certain that in the future she will rival and perhaps even surpass me in these subjects. But alas we do not need her for her expertise in academics. We need her because she knows Harry better then anyone else and can give us insight into where he might be."

"I can try an' talk to her Professor" offered Ron – "but I think that perhaps you would be more convincing. Hermione will want to know details .."

Dumbledore only nodded in acknowledgement.

As the meeting went on, the order members were given their assignments and dismissed. Most were tired from a long day of work and the added duties of being members of the Order of the Phoenix, and were looking forward to the comforts of their beds.

Hermione Granger sat at her regular table in the Hogwarts library, her raven feather quill moving swiftly over the parchment, writing complex equations and formulas with the ease of an expert. Nestled between bookshelves stacked with tomes on arithmancy and spell creation, Hermione had found her sanctuary. None other ever ventured this far back into the library.

The smell of drying ink and reed parchment was a soothing balm for her mind, a world where mistakes were easily corrected. Ever since Harry had left, the library had become her haven. For hours she would lose herself in the books trying desperately to find a way to locate Harry and learning enough so that when she did find him, she could help him fulfill the prophecy.

"Hey, I thought I'd find you here." Came a gentle voice. A rare smile graced Hermione's face. "Gin…what time is it?"

The tall redhead gave an exaggerated sigh. "You've missed dinner – but – me being the caring person that I am, I brought you a salad. It's in my bag" she said walking over to her friend. Hermione's dull chocolate brown eyes were framed with dark circles and she had lost that air of excitement that she once possessed. Ginny's heart twinged with worry. "It's late, even you need your sleep." She commanded and reached over and began packing up the books and parchment littering the desk.

Hermione only talked to a few people anymore, and out of those few, Ginny Weasley and Luna Lovegood were the only one's she trusted. And she knew Ginny well enough to know that any plans she had of doing research tonight were definitely postponed.

"I've asked Luna to meet us in your room. It's been a long time since we just relaxed and had a conversation. I miss my best friends." Said Ginny, as she led Hermione out of the library. They didn't cross paths with any others students, ever since the ranks of death had begun swelling, most students were staunch in obeying school rules.

It was a few minutes later when the girls were settled on Hermione's bed. Hermione sat with her back towards the headboard and a pillow propped behind her and Luna and Ginny sat cross-legged at the foot of her bed.

"Hermione…we think its time you told us why Harry ran away. And we won't be leaving till you've told us." Ginny said voicing her resolution while Luna nodded in agreement.

"It hurts us to see you so distant and lost…we're your friends and we want to be here for you.." said Luna's soft voice.

'_Perhaps it is time. But, will they understand…perhaps not' _she mused. '_But they won't judge.' _Making up her mind, she got up from her position and crouched down next the bed and pulled out a pensieve from underneath the overhanging covers.

Luna gasped at the sight of the rare artifact. "Hermione…how? They're so rare…expensive" she said breathlessly. "Only the old families have them…how…where…" she mumbled.

"This is Harry's … he found it in the Black Family Vault. He didn't take it with him when he left Hogwarts." She explained nudging Ginny and Luna to get up from the bed.

"I'm going to put in a select few memories, so you'll know what happened." She said and carefully placed the pensieve on her writing desk while trying to suppress the memories that were gushing forth. '_There was the time I held him after he showed me the memories of living with the Dursleys … I wonder if he regrets that now' _she thought and felt her chest constrict with despair.

Unbidden tears came to her eyes but she quickly brushed them away with the sleeve of her shirt. But the torrent of emotions wouldn't be contained and in her tired state she relented. A silvery drop rolled down her cheek and she lost herself in her thoughts.

'_Mione' he had cried softly, struggling to hold back his sobs. His face contorted into a mixture of disbelief and incredible pain, a look that had her soul weeping and begging for forgivness, yet she couldn't utter a sound. _

'_No … please- not you too – Mione - Please…" he had begged in a whimpering breath, clutching the door frame to support his suddenly weak body. Hoping that he saw was an illusion, a trick of magic, another of Voldemort's schemes. His eyes pleading with her to tell him it was all a lie, an elaborate hoax and that he would believe her and cast aside damning evidence he saw with his own eyes. _

_Then he saw the guilt marring her face as she vainly tried to avoid the emerald eyes she knew would judge her. But finally, gathering courage to look up, expecting blazing emerald eyes and an explosion of anger, she was stunned at what she saw. The pain and disbelief were replaced with a detached acceptance. Like a part of him had been waiting for the moment of betrayal where he would awake from a dream and find himself in the cupboard. A resigned sigh was the last she saw of him. _

_He had given her all that was his to give, bared his heart and soul for her to caress and soothe and she had thrown the precious gift back in his face. She had broken him in a way that even Sirius's death did not and Voldemort could never hope to. His broken face haunted her in every waking moment, a shadow she could not escape, a presence that had become a part of her during that magical summer. _

Sniffling, she brought her wand to her temple and focused her thoughts on the summer after fifth year, and slowly a slivery fluid substance began to form around the wand tip. Ginny and Luna watched in awe as Hermione gently put the memories in the pensieve. They saw a brief flash of a dark alley on the surface of the pensieve, but just as quickly it dissolved into silvery mist.

"You can go ahead and look, I'll wait - it'll be a few hours I think" said Hermione, motioning towards the pensieve. Luna and Ginny shared a concerned look. "Hermione, why don't you see it with us…it might – put things in perspective." asked Ginny in a faltering voice as though she expected Hermione to abandon the whole idea because of the suggestion.

'Maybe it'll help me figure out where Harry is' Hermione mumbled to herself.

The three friends moved towards the pensieve and watched the silvery mist becoming increasingly clear until it was as transparent as glass. Looking down into the penseive, they felt as though they were looking through the roof of an elegantly furnished living room. And as they leaned further towards the pensieve, they felt the floor lurch beneath them and found themselves in the living room of the Granger Residence.

Harry, Dobby and Hedwig (still resting on Harry's shoulder) appeared in a small, dimly lit room filled with stacks of firewood and an unmistakable scent of what Harry remembered as Kerosene oil.

"Dobby what's that smell?" he asked, scanning the room with alert eyes. The dark stone walls were bare except for a small torch that hung beside the door.

"That Harry Potter sir, is house elf potion for lighting fire sir." Dobby answered in a proud voice, waddling closer to Harry.

'_So it is Kerosene.'_ Harry mused.

"You're sure that no house elves will interfere with me being here?" he asked, silently moving towards the door with steady and calculated steps.

"No Harry Potter sir. House elf too afraid of wizard. They not like being seen" Explained Dobby and Harry nodded in understanding.

'_Hey Girl!' _Harry called in his mind and unconsciously raised his hand to stroke her head. Hedwig responded by digging her claws in to his shoulder, assuring him she was there. '_Stay close to me…I need to feel our connection until we get home' _Harry knew that Hedwig understood him but wasn't sure if she could feel what he wanted her to do or understand the actual words. He doubted it was the latter.

"Where's Mrs. Malfoy and who else is in the house?" Harry asked, his voice reverberating through the small room.

Dobby seemed to phase out for a moment and then began speaking. "Mistress in study and someone with mark.." Dobby said pointing to Harry's left arm, "in potion room."

"Lets take the fastest way to the study then"

As Dobby walked out of the room, Harry tapped Hedwig on the head, effectively disillusioning her and then quickly started jogging behind Dobby as Hedwig glided beside them.

Following Dobby around to the main stairs, Harry was momentarily entranced by the Cathedral ceiling of the entrance hall and especially the crystal chandelier encrusted with rubies and emeralds that hung from a platinum chain.

Dobby continued hopping up the stairs, fleetingly turning his head to make sure Harry was following.

As they moved up the pure white marble stair case, Harry let his hand trail along the studs of the intricately carved golden hand rail, with each stem crafted to represent a slithering cobra with small emeralds for eyes.

His eyes grew distant, '_Godric's hollow probably had everything in Red and Gold' _he mused.

As they approached the first landing the stone floor merged flawlessly into a reddish brown hardwood platform which branched off into 3 hallways. Dobby took the one to the right and with a quick glance around Harry followed. His lips twitched at the possibility of finding Malfoy Jr.'s bedroom and leaving him a surprise.

Moving through the corridors, Harry felt just how powerful the wards were. The magic was so deeply imbued in the mansion that Harry could feel it pulse against his skin and brush his mind. The same sensation he had begun to feel at Hogwarts. A tingling that spread over his whole body as the magic tried to carry out its master's command.

Squashing the growing nervousness, Harry started to take two stairs at a time, forcing Dobby to move faster. His stomach gave a nervous lurch and breaths came faster, but Harry continued to move.

"Dobby …" Harry called. "We have to be gone within twenty minutes… " he said, running past the enormous library on the second floor without sparing a glance.

The wards were attempting to penetrate his mind and even with the bond he shared with Hedwig, Harry knew that it was only a matter of time before his defences were overwhelmed.

Painting and suits of armor were mere flashes of light as Harry leapt up the stairs leading to the fourth floor.

He would not put unnecessary strain on Hedwig, even though her magical reserves had grown after they bonded, she was still a small creature and would simply be crushed by the magic that was rolling in waves around the mansion.

The complexity of the magic was astounding and turning the corner into the fourth floor, Harry briefly recalled the similarity between the wards of Malfoy manor and the enchantments on the mirror of erised.

The hallway was dimly lit and Harry would have had trouble following were it not for Dobby snapping his fingers and creating a ball of light. Showing amazing speed for a creature so small, Dobby had managed to stay ahead and guide Harry.

"Th-this – is – mistress – study –room" panted Dobby, standing in front of a polished wooden door with a ball of light hovering before him, giving a soft glow.

The hallway was dark except for the small light that Dobby had created. None of the torches were lit and the pitch black corners and soundless air were making Harry increasingly nervous. Gripping his phoenix feather wand, Harry pushed open the door and stealthily slipped inside with his companions.

A single lit torch showed, Narcissa Malfoy kneeling on the floor surrounded by all manner of symbols glowing bright red, her gown clinging to her deathly thin and sweaty body. She was bent forward with an unseen strain, as she held a dagger in her left hand and a wand in her right.

Harry stood horrified as blood began to seep from inside of Narcissa's ear and she slowly lost the grip on her wand and dagger, they clanked uselessly on the stones. She tried to reach for her lost weapons but only managed to fall over, smashing the side of her face on the unforgiving stone.

The young man didn't know what manner of magic was at work here but he knew he had to end it. With a flick of his wrist the wand return to this leg holster and Harry reached over and gripped the handle of the Gryffindor sword; the only medium strong enough to dispel the magic.

Tightly gripping the sword with both hands, he gathered his magic and felt it flow down his arms into the blade, where it collected and the sword began to pulse with a dark green energy.

"Finite Incantatum" he ground out, willing his spell to be powerful.

A thick pulse of white light shot out from the sword and formed a cocoon around Narcissa's body and the runes, but the spell was slowly absorbed into the red light. Narcissa's body gave a painful moan as the runic magic seemed to dull for a few moments but then regained its strength.

Harry cursed himself for his stupidity. The magic was linked to Narcissa and was drawing energy from her. Casting the spell he had, he might have already killed her.

Panick was settling into his mind and his hands began to shake. He could feel himself losing control over his occlumency shields.

"Dobby" Harry called, drawing a deep and calming breath. "When I give you a nod, I want you to stun her" he said inclining his head towards the woman's body.

Dobby nodded in understanding, wringing his hands in nervousness and gingerly stepping close to the body. With a look at Harry, he held out his hands and waited.

Harry gathered his power once again and channeled it into the sword, waiting for it to build up. Beads of sweat appeared on his forehead from the strain of pooling his power outside of the body. With hard eyes and a determined expression he gripped the sword tighter and said the words of magic.

Another powerful pulse leapt from the glowing sword and at the same time a red ball of energy left Dobby's hand, putting Narcissa's magic in a temporary stasis.

The cocoon of magical energy began to shrink once again. Ordered magic was hard to dispel and runic magic gained its strength from the complex mix of stabilizing and power channeling elements. But Harry's power seemed to be sufficient and with a final brilliant glow, the runes were dispelled.

Drawing a steadying breath, Harry moved towards the unconscious body and knelt beside her, the bottom of his cloak coming to rest on her back. He gently rolled her over and did a quick examination to diagnose her condition. The right side of her face was a bluish purple was bruised badly with streaks of blood leaking from broken skin.

Putting his arm around her shoulders and lifting her into a sitting position, he was surprised at how light she was. Her hair was sticking to the blood and sweat on her face and her cheeks sunk in showing signs of severe malnutrition.

He knew what she had been through and what had led to her pitiful condition. His heart filled with sympathy as he cradled her closer and felt her chest rising lightly with each shallow breath. She smelled of sweat and blood but Harry didn't turn away, rather lay a cool hand on her burning forehead. If any qualities Harry had retained from his mother, it was an ingrained empathy and compassion for others.

Harry knew that waking her would put her in more danger because the wards attacking her mind will have rediscovered the point of focus. For the moment her magic was in a stasis and her condition stabilized but as soon as he woke her, she would be under attack.

It was a rare opportunity that he was inside the Malfoy manor and could do severe damage to the Malfoy estate with her help. But his principles wouldn't let him wake her.

"Dobby, take her to Hogwarts. We can't help her much." Harry said, and cast a disillusionment spell on her still form. "Don't worry…I'm going straight home Dobby." He added, seeing the look of concern on Dobby's face.

The elf obeyed his friend and master and with a snap of his fingers, levitated the body and disappeared around the door with his former mistress.

Knowing that his primary mission was accomplished, Harry's mind calmed significantly and his shields were strong once again, giving him more time within the manor.

Rising from his kneeling position Harry rose and raised his arm. Seeing the shimmering form of Hedwig coming to rest on his forearm, he strode towards the door.

A few moments later, Harry was crouched outside the stairs that led to the dungeons and the potion lab of the Malfoy manor. He understood that he had the advantage of surprise over the death eater, but with Dobby gone, he could be easily surprised by any new comers. Quickly making up his mind, Harry moved stealthily down the stairs, his breathing even and eyes alert to any movment. Throwing knives held loosely in each hand, ready to be thrown at a moment's notice.

As he moved into the corridor, he could hear the movements of the death shuffling around the room


End file.
